1020 Park Avenue, 1036 Park Avenue, 1065 Park Avenue

A lull in construction during the Depression and World War II gave way to a building boom in the post-war period, during which these three buildings were constructed. 1020 Park Avenue’s base is clad in travertine marble, a popular material at the time. 1036 Park Avenue features stripes of blue-green ceramic panels on both façades, with wider panels on the corner. Many architects of the Modern era employed color in place of ornament to give buildings depth and character. Both buildings are distinctive for their asymmetrical massing at the top stories, which created private terraces. In 1961, the city passed a zoning code to encourage the construction of free-standing towers. 1065 Park Avenue, which took the place of a tenement, was one of the avenue’s few buildings to be inspired by the “tower in the park” concept. Its 30-story height was achieved by setting the building back and within a small landscaped plaza.